Welcome ...
This blog has been created to allow family and friends to share in and become part of the experience of 'Down at the Farm'.
Enjoy the children, their love for each other and their open hearted wonder and excitement.
Over time you will get to know the farm through their eyes and will see how they spend their day with each other in a very rich, organic way.
Each vignette is a snapshot in time. Follow from one to another, then on to more and you can share in our unfoldment and journey.
Enjoy your visit ...

Friday, January 28, 2011

'twas a very gorgeous day ...

Yes indeed, a very gorgeous day.  Not just for the weather, warm and mild, clear blue sky and lush in the shade after the rain, but also for the joy of Cosmos, Daisy and Farrah together.

Daisy and Cosmos spent about 40 minutes getting to know each other and the two little guinea pigs this morning. They were uber-cute together. Cosmos had Nibbles on his lap and Daisy had Nutmeg on hers.  

One of them would notice an ear and say so ... the other would look and then check their guinea pig ... and on they went, next another ear, then an eye, then the fur ... they enjoyed and got to know each other, as they got acquainted with their furry little friends.




Then along came Farrah and wasn't she a total treat.  She was very happy, very enthusiastic, loads of fun and really gorgeous with the other two children ... showing them how to do things, holding hands, chatting away and keeping me in my place too.  At one point she looked right into my face and said, 'You're a cheeky monkey aren't you', with her 1000 watt smile alight.





Mix and match ...

These little faces say it all, our first day, lots of love and lots of play ...
Along with Pepper who grew the longest legs over the holidays; Frankie who is has character to burn, very dear and very funny; and another bundle of enthusiasm from the Shelper/Briscomb household, Samson ... we met Oliver.  He came to visit over the holidays and is with us now as part of the gang ... a very dear soul and gentle boy. How great to have him along
Watch out for our travels and adventures as they unfold this year ...  Kornelius and Nell will be joining us too ... feels like a great mix and great match.
From Collages



Thursday, January 20, 2011

An easy morning, clear blue skies ...

This morning while down near the stables with Soukie and Tommy as we waited for Omkara to arrive, Soukie and Tommy had a ball.

What were they doing?

Well, noticing all the sheep poo on the ground. 

They'd walk along and one of them would say, 'Look a poo.'  The other one would stop, notice, say yes ... and then they'd look at each other both laugh and continue on to the next poo on the ground ... repeating the whole thing.

A most unique, yet very effective way to bond!



Once Omkara joined us, we walked and played, visited the pigs, fed them bread, climbed hills and strolled along.  An easy morning, clear skies, sun shining and everything green after the recent rain.

We made it up to the barn to see Patsy the cow just before she was to head back to the paddock after milking.  Right in front of us, in fact right at our feet, she stopped and did ... ... yes a great big poo.  Well seemed to be the theme for the day.  Little eyes popping at the sound and the size and then of course, we had to stay a see how the farmers dealt with such a gift.  Shovelling and hosing and making things clean.

We had time in the barn cuddling guinea pigs, with the holiday crowds around, it wasn't our usual luxurious snuggle, though enjoyed anyway ...


Soukie and Tommy watching the scarecrow nearby and tending a guinea pig ..

Soukie and Tommy delighted in each others company and Omkara and I delighted in them both.




Towards the end of the morning we walked down to my vege patch.  It's needing some attention yet loaded with goodies indeed.  Potatoes and carrots and beetroot and sage and parsley, were all pulled and everyone went home with something to eat.




Wednesday, January 19, 2011

Little mouse ...

Ziggy, Omkara, Ella and Tom adventured round the farm together today. We had not been long in the back paddock when Ella spied Pebbles the very fluffy, very friendly farm cat.

She stooped to pat her and turned round very quickly with her hands in the air announcing, 'A little mouse.'  There in Ella's hands was a very tiny grey mouse.



Pebbles had just been interrupted from snacking.  Apart from looking mighty shocked, the little mouse was OK.  Well, as OK as a mouse can be when rescued from the jaws of a cat!

All the children gathered.  How fascinating this was.  Everyone wanted a hold and a pat and after the little mouse had settled some we all took turns.

Tom asked, 'What's it called?'  No one knew and in a very quiet moment when we all looked on at our little friend, Ziggy announced, 'It's called Polly.'


Polly quickly recovered and all of a sudden bounced out of my hand and into the grass close by.  She was ready to return to what mouses do at the farm.  The children loved this.  They watched and followed and wanted to play with her some more as she skittered and jumped and ran this way and that.

Ella crouched down and quick as a flash, there was Polly in her hands again ... ... all eyes on the watch for Pebbles who was quietly circling us at a reasonable distance.

The children all embarked on their own mission to save Polly.  No matter what I had to say, she was coming with us.  Off we went into the 'Witches Garden' our little sanctuary down the back of the farm.



It wasn't long before little Polly was placed on the ground, legs asplay and looking a little stressed, that second wind had gone.  Ella looked and announced, 'She's a little bit tired.' 

We let her rest and played and Ella would come back and look and say, 'She's still tired.'  The boys noticing her heaving as she breathed.   All decided that it was best we left her there and our day continued.

... ...only to bring us back to the same spot later in the day to find little Polly being danced on by ants.

Ella announced, 'She's asleep with ants on her.'  Omkara looked and considered and said, 'No, she's not asleep, I think she's not alive.'  Tom had a peep and agreed.  Ziggy by this time had gone home for the day.  Together the boys realised that Polly was no longer alive with Ella insisting if we let her sleep she'd get better.


Tom and Omkara tree climbing a little later in the day

Finally we all decided a little hole in the ground under a nearby tree was a good place for a little mouse like Polly to be.  Together we dug and prepared it and laid her in.  Gently the children placed soil on top.  Talk bounced to and fro about what she'd do under the ground and how she had a house and somewhere safe to be.

Once all was done and things settled for a quiet moment, Ella announced with a little finger in the air, 'Just five minutes and she'll be all better and we can get her out of the dirt.'

The magic of being at the farm is about things like this, unexpected, totally natural, children enquiring and finding it all out together.

... and the fact, that along with this we fitted in soo..oo...ooo much more during our day.  Guinea pig cuddles, visiting the sheep, looking for eggs, playing in the sand, walking and walking, talking and talking a picnic ... ... no two, a climb of the peppercorn tree and visit to the pigs, climbing and sliding on a hill that became a ship on the ocean where great adventure prevailed ... ... who wouldn't want to spend a day at the farm and company as wonderful as this.




Tuesday, January 18, 2011

A new year begins at the farm ...

Our visits to the farm for this year began today with Aki, Tom, Violet, Rosie, Holly and Tommy along for the day.

Holly and Rosie, who are sisters and Tom and Violet who are brother and sister are quite the gang as they are also all best friends.  The vibe amongst them was really good and shared by us all.  It was very easy to be part of all that love and the pleasure they take in each others company.

Tommy found all the big kids fascinating, was very joyful and curious and happy.  Aki took it all in his stride, share some wonderful moments with each of the children and slipped in and out of imaginative play all day with the greatest of ease. 

Loads of adventure, loads of fun and happy tired children at the end of the day.

We warmed up with a visit to the guinea pigs, a smooch and some cuddles by all except Tom (as is the way with life, they just weren't his thing and that was fine) and everyone was ready to go see what else the farm had in store ...




We walked through the gardens, met Pebbles the cat, another very smoochy farm friend, checked out the sheep and headed down to the goats.

Now that was a highlight.  We had so much fun.  The goats can seem a little intimidating, yet are very social and loads of fun.  They were all doing lots of prancing and head but dances this morning.  Tommy and Aki loved it and we sat with them for ages.  The girls really got into the fun of it all here.  Holly loved it, Violet got excited and as we spent more time, she saw how fascinating they were.  Rosie was happy to share all this with her friend and Tom watched at first and figured if her was with me, the goats might be fun ... ... and they were.  They bounced around us, butted into us, sat and watched us, let us hand feed them and as Violet said, 'They were very interesting.'  Indeed ...




We picnicked, we talked, we climbed, we played, visited the pigs and the worm farm, saw horses and the donkey.  Most of all though we enjoyed each other immensely.


Big Tom and little Tom


Best friends Violet and Rosie


Aki


Holly